WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Time for Nature

TIME FOR NATURE

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."  Rachel Carson   

    

    

     

I recently spent the day kayaking the headwaters of the Wekiva River with my niece, Dixie Farnsworth Jamison. Dixie is a professor of nursing in Rexburg, Idaho, and she's smart, thoughtful, interesting, and observant. It was wonderful spending time with her, enjoying some great conversation, and spotting an amazing array of animals on the river.

But perhaps the best part was simply being there - basking in the ideal weather, savoring the unhurried and nourishing environment, and absorbing the beauty and energy of this unspoiled setting. What John Muir said about being in nature is true: "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."

I'm thankful for Dixie's decision to stay over a few days after her professional conference. I'm even more grateful for her encouragement that I take off work for a day and show her why kayaking down this river is one of our family's favorite things to do in Central Florida. It never disappoints.

It turns out that I truly needed this little adventure. I had allowed the busy-ness of life to get in the way of being in nature. I had forgotten the wise words of author Katrina Mayer: "Time spent amongst trees is never wasted."  

I am newly resolved to find time - no, change that to MAKE TIME - on a consistent basis to get into the woods and discover anew the beauty God built into this amazing planet we live on. I WILL, as Thoreau counseled, "live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign [my]self to the influence of the earth."

Thanks again, Dixie. Here are some unforgettable sights from that day on the river.